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Illinois baseball falls flat in challenging Big Ten bout

With hopes of being a contender this season, the Illinois baseball team struggled mightily in a Big Ten weekend series.
ByOwen Christopher|
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Jun 18, 2023; Omaha, NE, USA; An on-deck circle with the NCAA logo is pictured on the field before the game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the TCU Horned Frogs at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
Jun 18, 2023; Omaha, NE, USA; An on-deck circle with the NCAA logo is pictured on the field before the game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the TCU Horned Frogs at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The first conference road trip of the season was less than ideal for the Illinois baseball program, as they dropped all three games against No. 20 USC.

Illini offense absolutely stifled by USC pitching

One of the stronger aspects of this Illini roster thus far has been its offense. Averaging about 7.5 runs per game and ranking top 75 in the nation in batting average, they have proven to be a pretty solid hitting force. 

Despite this, Illinois was shutout in the first two games of the series and was only able to muster three runs in the series finale. The most disappointing part about these results is the way in which they happened.

Illinois rarely had runners on base, striking out on a fair amount of their at-bats. It is one thing to be inefficient with runners on base, but it is another thing entirely to not even get them there. 

That being said, this result was expected. With a pitching staff as elite as USC has going against an offense whose key driver is a true freshman in A.J. Putty, this early-season hiccup provides a meaningful learning experience.

Illinois pitching held up better than expected, but still left some to be desired

Overall, the starting pitching and bullpen work were pretty solid and should be something to look forward to the rest of the year. Ben Plumley and Reagan Hall both put in solid innings, allowing four and six hits, respectively. 

With both being aces on the roster that are crucial to the Illini’s success, it is very important that they start the season strong, and so far, they have. The bullpen was solid when they were called upon and were able to pitch meaningful innings.

The only eye sore was Sunday’s game in which the team gave up five runs on 11 hits, but even then, that still should be enough for the offense to provide some run support and grab a win. 

Pitching was a big concern with last year's roster, but this series should instill hope that it can be a strong suit for the Illini.

Slow starts plagued the Illini

In line with their lack of hitting, the Illini fell behind early in the first two games of the series, dooming their chances from the get-go. 

Illinois fell behind 3-0 after the first inning in Friday’s game and 2-0 after the first in Saturday’s game. Pair that with a cold offense throughout both games, but especially at the start, and the Illini found themselves in holes they could not dig themselves out of too often. 

Against strong teams like USC, mounting a comeback can be extremely difficult. In a conference that is as loaded with talent as ever, the Illini will need to avoid making it a habit and come ready to play. 

Illinois still has some work to do if they want to compete with some of the top dogs in the Big Ten, but this weekend still gave something to like about the team moving forward. 

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